DAYTON, Ohio -- Capt. James Jabara and Capt. Joseph McConnell Jr. exhibits in the Korean War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The world's first jet-versus-jet ace was USAF Capt. James Jabara, who scored his initial victory on April 3, 1951 and his fifth and sixth victories on May 20. He was then ordered back to the U.S. for special duty.
At his own request, he returned to Korea in January 1953. By June, he had shot down nine more MiG-15s, giving him a total of 15 air-to-air jet victories during the Korean War. Jabara was also credited with 1.5 victories over Europe during World War II. (The German Luftwaffe had 22 jet pilot aces during WWII but all claims were Allied prop-driven aircraft.)
In November 1966, Jabara, then a colonel, was killed in an automobile accident while traveling to a new assignment.
